Magic Power
by Lushcoltrane
Summary: Jade is at the absolute lowest point she can imagine. But something she hears gives her a ray of light and hope. There are descriptions of enforced servitude and subsequent sex acts. Please be warned.
1. Chapter 1 God, I Hate My Life

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

Note: Jade uses a non-PC term but it's not meant to show her opinion about the group but rather a reflection of the horrid situation she's in.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **God I Hate My Life**

 **God I hate my life!**

 **Not that I ever I've really enjoyed it much, even as a kid. My favorite toy really was a hammer so I could pound the shit out of my other toys when my cold, emotionless parents ignored me.**

 **High school was the only bright time in my life. Hollywood Arts was the closest I came to having a supportive family – which my past caused me to keep at arm's length, at best. I also found someone who really cared about me - my boyfriend Beck Oliver. But we broke up for the fourth or fifth - and final - time a few weeks before graduation.**

 **Unfortunately, at that point, I was already teetering on the event horizon of my current black hole. All thanks to Daddy Dearest.**

 **As I said, my parents couldn't care less about me. I think I was the unfortunate result of some obligatory fuck shortly after they got married. A marriage based totally on financial gain as it resulted in the merger of two companies into a larger corporation. An anniversary fuck, about five years later, resulted in my little brother. A complete fucking, spoiled brat.**

 **My** _ **loving**_ **mother walked out on us shortly after Bratzone was born, with a substantial chunk of the estate and also taking brat-attack with her – the only good thing she did. She started to shack up with some pothead surfer stud in Malibu and sold her interest in the company back to Dad. Dad ended up selling out to another man and became the CFO of the new operation, basically he became a glorified accountant.**

 **But there began the fall. Roy Werner West was a brilliant accountant and financier but his greed got the better of him. Insider trading and embezzled funds that quickly went to offshore accounts in Switzerland and the Caymans, were finally brought to light about the time I was spending Spring Break with my friends down in San Diego.**

 **I came back to a sealed-off house, seized by the Feds for assets forfeiture. My clothes, books, movies, my car, everything was locked up to be auctioned off. Even my movie memorabilia like the one-sheets, the autographed scripts and press kits. But the worst: my prop scissors. The fucking Feds wouldn't let me have anything. (Babysitting didn't pay enough for Cat to go to Cancun as we had planned.)**

 **At least Roy ended doing hard time in a Federal prison. Since he's not in a Federal supermax, I hope he's someone's bitch taking it up the ass every fucking night!**

 **Fortunately, I had almost seven hundred dollars in my personal savings account. On a whim, I opened that myself at a completely different bank and had the passbook with me so the Feds didn't grab that. That money went to replace clothes and for food. But not much farther.**

 **At least, since it was already paid for, I still managed to finish my senior year at HA but it was hard.**

 **No one knew what had happened. I did what Cat had tried and lived in the crawl space above the Black Box. I used some industrial strength poison to make that room rat-free although I did have trouble breathing for a few days.**

 **As I said, no one knew what had happened, so I just explained my respiratory problems as a spring allergy. I knew if the gang learned what happened, I'd end up living with Cat and Sam in a very crowded, one-bedroom in Venice or, worse yet, trapped with the Vega sisters. Tori I could handle but Trina was the part of that package deal I just couldn't face. Robbie? Yeah, right! He'd be dead inside a day with that damn puppet mysteriously in his lower colon. Andre? Could've been a possibility except I heard about his crush the year before. Of course, Beck was out.**

 **My dear mother wanted nothing to do with me since I decided to stay with Dad - only because I wanted to stay at my grade school, and later Hollywood Arts. Since she had sold her interests, with nothing to tie her to Dad's crimes, she got off scot-free. The bitch. But she blew through the money in what had to be a Guinness record – I'm guessing buying the beach house outright with cash along with all the booze, weed and coke had something to do with it. Then, to keep her surfer boytoy, there was some boob work, face and butt lifts and lypo. Didn't matter. Once the money ran out, Studly Surferboy moved on to a sugar daddy… Leave it dear old Mom to turn a guy gay. Mom lost the house to back taxes and ended in some broken down mobile home on a wild-fire prone hill well above that beautiful beach house she lost in Malibu.**

 **Oh, and the brat? Still underage, he was forced to move with our mother into their Airstream. I'm sure they're both very happy about that. I like to think they both pray for a wildfire or a mudslide or an earthquake to end their misery.**

 **As soon as school ended, I packed what little I had and took a bus across the continent to New York. A huge step down from my classic, black '67 Challenger that now belonged to some lucky federal auction winner.**

 **Why New York? I figured I could maybe get started on some chorus line and the performer-to-gig ratio was supposed to be better than LA. I saw no evidence of that. I couldn't get a job to save my life! And that was almost literally the truth. Even off-off-off Broadway wasn't hiring. And I got desperate enough to be willing to flash the girls if necessary.**

 **Little did I know, that was coming…**

 **I was walking near the Hudson in Jersey City, dreaming of living in one of the renovated lofts or the restored homes the yuppy scum had for their abode across the river in Hell's Kitchen, when I walked into someone. Literally. He excused himself and started to walk on then stopped and asked me if I wanted a job where I could make real money. He looked like a nice guy so I figured what the hell?**

 **Mickey could charm the rattle off a diamondback. He was also a made man, as I later found out. A low rung in the Irish mob but still made. Definitely not a man to mess with, if you were smart. I suddenly smartened up soon after I took the asshole's offer.**

 **Turned out, the job was at a dive… Actually calling Skin Deep a dive bar would be an insult to the other dive bars in the world. It was in one of the nastier parts of Newark between the airport and the Passaic Valley sewage treatment plant near the port rail lines. The place was ostensibly a night club but, in reality, it was half strip joint and half a den of any other vice you care to name. The best that could be said of it was it was a step above an opium den. The Irish Mob, through Mickey, had a big interest in it and gleaned any profit from the sales of drugs, booze or sex.**

 **Oh yeah, it wasn't really a night club in name either. The place was open twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year – three hundred and sixty-six if it was a leap year. The place would "close" for a half hour, two days a week to 'clean up'. If you were in there and drinking, you could stay. If you tried to come in, no dice. You had to wait for up to a half hour as they spewed ammonia around the bar, the stage and the special backrooms. Closing time was around 10 AM on Sundays and Wednesdays.**

 **Once I walked in, I realized I was only hired because of my puppies and my admittedly nice ass. I almost turned and walked out but then I remembered the fact that I barely had bus fare back to within a mile of the fleabag motel where I lived. Rent there was due in three days and I didn't have that.**

 **I was officially a waitress. My uniform was a skimpy bra that barely covered my nipples with a lot of side and under-boob showing and a matching G-string along with spiked heels. The color depended on the season, or the holiday. Beyond wearing those…garments, I had to accept all the pawing and pinching that came my way while working.**

 **A week after starting there, I had to join the other girls on stage, stripping some stupid costume for the entertainment of the sub-human customers. It wasn't as bad when I danced with one of the other girls but I felt so dirty that first week – like the gawking sleazebag customers' eyeballs covered me with some disgusting slime I couldn't wash off.**

 **Then, after another week, there were worse things I had to do…**

 **The shit kept coming and weeks passed. Then months…**

 **The money we took in** _ **was**_ **great but our cut? Ha! That's a joke. The pay was shit and the tips, even on a 'good' night, didn't make up for that. I know much of it was taken by the fuckin' Micks.**

 **I was skirting the poverty line, on the bottom side, but with enough of my head above water that I didn't drown. I hadn't been in New Jersey long enough to apply for welfare so I moved out of the fleabag into an old no-tell motel near the 'club'. Mickey fronted me the money for the first week as well as money for my work clothes. Which I had to pay back. With interest. The interest made payday loan stores look like philanthropists.**

 **At the old motel, about half the normal motel rooms had been split into two even smaller places. The 'luxury' suites were the half with the bathroom. The other half, behind a cheap construct of particle board, was used by hookers for their johns. At all hours, my neighbors would carry on for a few hours – different hookers and guys on an irregular rotation – making sleep difficult at first. Then I found a few shots after a long day of shit would help me unwind and fall into a coma-like sleep.**

 **I rarely drank enough to forget my craptacular life though. I found I'd get too depressed before I got to that stage. And the hangovers were horrible. So I dealt with the crap sandwich life dealt me.**

 **Anyway, as you can guess, I paid a little more and got the luxury half. The room had a small dresser bolted to the wall across from a single bed with a cigarette-scarred end table. I had an electrical outlet in the bathroom and another near the bed. Surprisingly, both worked.**

 **The Black Hole of Calcutta cost me a hundred dollars a week which cut into my skimpy money badly but I managed to save enough to get a hot plate so I could make coffee and simple meals. I also got an old ghetto blaster so I had some music.**

 **I don't dumpster dive. Not yet anyway. But I saw it on top of the other junk when I took my trash out one afternoon. Sadly to me, it was like striking the motherlode. I took it in and found out it worked – sort of.** _ **It**_ **was an old black and white TV with a broken antenna that managed to get two local stations, and a lot of static when the flyway we were under was being used by flights into and out of Newark International.**

 **One day, I promised I'd get a new PearPhone and a real TV. I still had my PearPad (which I'd taken to Dago on our trip along with my PearPhone) - that was saved from the seizure by judiciously hiding it before the Treasury men got their hands on my car. While I had a pre-paid long-term contract on the PearPad, my old PearPhone contract ran out while I was still in school and I couldn't afford to renew it so I sold the hardware to some freshman techie for ninety bucks, after pulling the SIM card.**

 **I had to rely on wifi hotspots for connectivity on my pad but I could still write, read and otherwise keep myself distracted when I was in the hole-in-the-wall they called an apartment.**

 **Oh, and did I mention my roommates? The roaches? That motel was a literal roach motel. I averaged killing ten to twenty a day. I had Raid, roach traps and boric acid but it wasn't enough. If I cleared my room for a day or two, they would come in from the other half of the room or either of the neighboring units.**

 **From my history class, I remembered, back during the First World War, an ace had to shoot down five planes to qualify as an ace. By the Second World War, the German Luftwaffe pilots had to down thirty fighters or fifteen bombers to earn an Iron Cross and be considered an ace. While the roaches weren't airborne, I figured I had killed enough roaches to be either a multiple ace…**

 **Or a serial killer.**

 **I almost forgot to mention the two burned-out, boarded up units at the far end. They were pointed out to me by the manager as he threatened me with a fate worse than death if I tried to cook meth in my place like the 'goddamned hillbilly scum' did in those two rooms.**

 **Welcome to La Paradiso d'Hotel. A paradise? Yeah, right. Maybe back in the Stone Age when rock and roll was starting out and a lot of movies were still in black and white. I'm not even sure the name isn't just a bad mix of a couple of the Romance languages trying to look sophisticated.**

 **So, this is the start of Jade West's journal. I'll add to this as events warrant and time allows. At least, hopefully, there will be a record of me if I end up face down in the Raritan River.**

* * *

 _Six months later…_

Jade slammed the door of her room and gave out a growling sigh. Another shitfest of a night! Skin Deep started lingerie fashion shows for the loser patrons. All the girls had to take turns wearing cheap Victoria's Secrets knock offs as they strutted through the crowd, rubbing up against the filthy bastards. And most of them were literally filthy. Most of the outfits were skimpier than the damned 'uniforms' they had to wear.

These 'shows' usually ended up with the girls in a backroom with one of the customers, sometimes more. Jade had no choice but to give in and perform in the club and in the back – pleasuring the customers for tips. Safer than trying to swim the shipping channel with her arms broken.

At least, if it came to fucking, she was allowed to demand a condom. The management didn't want to spread diseases to other customers through their staff.

Much as this disgusted her, she couldn't afford to lose this job, abhorrent and demeaning as it was. She owed those Mick bastards too much money. Fortunately, sometimes, one of the less sleazy customers would actually give their girl a decent tip. Unfortunately, her attitude towards the job and the clientele was mediocre at best. Jade had actually been warned once about that.

Jade, being of Irish descent, had no qualms calling these bastards by such a demeaning nickname, just not to their faces. PC was way overrated in her current world.

 _Tonight was a grand night,_ she mused as she kicked her shoes off. Jade had sucked off two truckers then had to take some stevedore in the ass. She had never even done that for Beck so the fucker really hurt, even if he had a tiny dick. His shipmate wanted to cum on Jade and said he'd pay extra for it. He didn't. Pay extra that is.

After that, the boss wanted a blow job. And he liked to dominate his 'girls' by cumming on them. That meant Jade's face, hair and her breasts.

All for less than thirty dollars in tips.

Not to mention, it started to snow as she returned 'home' and her jacket wasn't quite up to the challenge.

Now, at 3 AM, all she wanted to do was thaw out and wash the filth of the club, and especially the customers, off of her then climb into bed and oblivion. Scrubbing her face, she silently ranted, _That creep gear-jammer who pulled out of my mouth to spew his…shit all over my face! I hope he gets shanghaied at the port and ends up somewhere at sea to become the ass-bitch for Somali pirates or…_

First came a shot of cheap whiskey, then a double dose of mouthwash to wash the taste of all the cum she had to swallow, then brushing her teeth, then more mouthwash.

But it never seemed to be enough.

Another shot of that cheap whiskey did little more than burn as she swallowed it. Didn't' stop her though.

Turning the ghetto blaster to one of the more progressive New York rock stations, Jade realized it was Friday morning which meant freeform programming until the 6 AM deejay came on – freeform meant any combination was possible like alt rock followed by blues or Big Band jazz followed by classic rock followed by... Even true classical music was likely to be in the mix. She preferred Sunday nights-Monday mornings, when they featured all jazz from 11 to 6, but this was fine with her for tonight.

Listening to Collective Soul's _Precious Declaration_ , she got into the shower, killing several more cockroaches who must've thought the shower was some king-sized waterpark, then scrubbed herself under the hottest spray she could turn up - which was still barely lukewarm.

 _At least we have sort-of hot water this week_ , she thought as she rinsed the conditioner from her freshly washed hair. Next came the Dollar Store body wash.

Finally, she dried herself with a new towel she got at the same, nearby Dollar Store and padded out of the bathroom to pull on a t-shirt and shorts she wore to bed.

Glancing at the basket near the door, she decided to go to the Jumbo Wash the next day.

In the background, an old Triumph song, _Magic Power_ , was playing. The second verse caught Jade's attention.

 _She climbs into bed, she pulls the covers overhead and she turns her little radio on_

 _She's had a rotten day so she hopes the DJ's gonna play her favorite song_

 _It makes her feel much better, brings her closer to her dreams_

 _A little magic power makes it better that it seems_

 _She's young now, she's wild now, she wants to be free_

 _She gets the magic power of the music in me_

Soon in the song, she heard,

 _If you're thinkin' it over but you just can't sort it out_

 _Do you want someone to tell you what they think it's all about?_

 _Are you the one and only who's sad and lonely, reachin' for the top_

 _Well the music keeps you goin' and it's never gonna stop_

 _Never gonna stop_

 _Never gonna, never gonna, never gonna stop_

Pulling up the sheet and blanket, she sadly thought, _Yeah, as if that's all it takes..._

Real or imagined, the horrid taste was still in her mouth. Another session with the toothbrush and another gargle helped.

Just as she was again crawling under the covers, a new song but a familiar voice was heard over the speakers. Jade froze as she heard the melodic voice and was suddenly hit with a quick, massive wave of homesickness and loss.

 _...And she's lost so much but carries on,_

 _Lost so much but still stays strong._

 _Lost so much but still stays strong..._

"Tori," Jade whispered into her pillow. The sadness was gone, replaced by a strange feeling of warmth and comfort as the voice of the focus of much of her teen-aged scorn flowed over her.

The song ended and the sadness returned briefly until the DJ came on.

"That's the new crossover hit by Tori Vega and the Drake Parker Band. Don't forget, they'll be playing two sets at Earful in two weeks. These are on Friday night, the seventeenth and again on Saturday, the eighteenth. Each night, the first show is an all-ages show at 7 o'clock and the second set starting at 10 for the 18 and older crowd. I've seen Drake Parker and his band. They can rock old school. You gotta see 'em. And I am really looking forward to seeing Ms. Vega in her first appearance in New York. Now, after a short break to pay the bills, I'll be back with a classic Outlaws song – _Green Grass and High Tides._ The nearly forty-minute live version."

"Vega's with the Drake Parker Band? Not some bubble-gum and Clearasil band? Who knew she could rock and roll...?" Jade muttered aloud.

Jade fell back on the pillow, realizing there were undoubtedly so many things about Tori Vega she never learned after refusing to allow the now-successful singer close to her.

She fell asleep to the Outlaws, aka Florida's Guitar Army, her mind full of hopes and regrets, new and old.


	2. Chapter 2 Escape To New York

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

 **Chapter 2**

 **Escape to New York**

The next day, Jade decided she had to see Tori's show. She couldn't tell herself why but she just knew, from the moment she woke up, she had to see Tori Vega perform.

Getting to work later in the afternoon, she got one of the girls to switch shifts with her in two weeks. April would work her Friday shift but Jade had to cover her Saturday afternoon and Sunday night shifts the next weekend and the weekend of the show.

Sundays were usually quiet so that wasn't a problem but Saturday afternoons, they had a full house when the men working first shift overtime on the docks got off, usually around noon.

* * *

 **I'm not sure why but I feel I have to see Vega when she performs here in a couple of weeks. Enough that I'm willing to trade shifts at work with April. She's a sweet kid. Reminds me of Cat a little but not quite as dizzy. Still, she deserves better than this life.**

 **Hell, we all do. Even that mega-bitch Hildy. This place is less a job than… What? A forced labor camp. White slavery? Not quite but so goddamned close…**

 **April did have an additional demand. She wanted Vega's autograph. Damn! Now I have to actually talk to Vega. I planned to sit far in the back so she wouldn't see me.**

 **Damn!**

* * *

That special Friday rolled around – finally. Jade, who had already tried to wash off the taint of the club before she went to bed, took another shower when she woke up at 11. And another before she left for the long commute to the club in Soho.

Jade still felt dirty. The taint was so engrained; she wasn't sure she'd ever feel clean.

 _God, I hate that place!_ she groused to herself as she rode the bus to the North Jersey Coast train station in Newark. The train ran under the Hudson River through the Lincoln Tunnel to Pennsylvania Station. Walking over to Herald Square, she went down to the N Train subway, taking that south to Greenwich Village.

"Gotta keep track of time or I'll miss the last train from Penn Station," she muttered to herself. Said train left around 1 AM. As it was, she'd have problems getting back to the motel in time to get any real sleep before having to work that afternoon.

 _Maybe I should rethink this. Is it really worth going to this trouble to see Vega?_ Jade stifled her doubts, _It damn well better be…_

Leaving the subway at the Canal Street station, she looked around Broadway and Prince to see which exit to use. By the time she got back to street level, it was after 5 o'clock and she still had to find Earful.

 _I hate New Yorkers,_ Jade decided when she was ignored the third time by some passerby as she tried to get the directions she needed. _Finally, a hipster doofus!_

As the trendy punk neared her, Jade tried to get his attention but all he cared about was the amount of cleavage she was showing. After Jade told him to fuck off, he sniffed and muttered, "Dyke..."

She glared at his back, wishing she could shoot real daggers from her eyes. At that moment, a girl about her own age came up and asked, "Can I help you? You seem kinda lost."

Whirling around, about to tell another stranger to fuck off, Jade stopped when she saw the young woman. Pale skin, raven-black hair, pierced eyebrow, nose, lip and multiple ear piercings met Jade's eyes. The girl even had red and blue streaks in her hair.

The girl took a step back, the look in Jade's eyes was intense. She said, "I'm sorry. I... I'll leave you alone."

"NO!" Jade almost shouted, shaken out of her reverie. She held out her hands, "I'm sorry. It's just you look like... You look like…someone I…lost…a long time ago..."

"Oh," the girl replied sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It was my stupid choice. Um... What's your name?"

"I'm Gigi. It's really Liz but that's not cool enough for the crowd I hang with," the Goth said with a laugh.

"Hi, I'm Jade."

"Cool name. Your real one? Awesome," Gigi replied. "You're new here?"

"Um, yeah. Came over from Jersey, took the N train down here...to see a show at Earful. You know the place?"

"Oh! Earful's over that way a couple of blocks south then a block west. Anyway, I'm going that way so I can show you," Gigi offered. They started walking south as they talked.

"Thanks. You going to the show?"

"Not that one. Too quiet for my tastes. There's a club a couple blocks beyond called the Crypt. It's a retro-goth club. If you're interested, I can get you in without the cover," Gigi offered with a smile.

Jade smiled back. Normally, old Jade would be on her way to the goth hangout and she actually considered the offer. But she told April she'd get stupid Vega's stupid autograph and stupidly...

 _Screw it, Jade. You know you wanna see Vega_ , she acknowledged silently. Then she said, "Maybe some other time. I knew one of the people performing at Earful back in high school."

"Really? Cool. Too bad it's not my scene. My kid sister though... Gotta tell her I met someone who went to school with Drake Parker. She'll be so jealous!"

Jade laughed with her new friend, not bothering to correct her. And she realized she was not offended to be thought she was four years older than she was – given the years Parker and Jade graduated. _That'll probably change in a few years…_ Jade thought with an inner smile.

"Here it is! If the show is as lame as I think, come up to the Crypt. I'll leave word with Bela at the door."

"Bela?"

Gigi laughed, "Yeah, the staff all took names of old horror movie stars like Bela or Boris or Lon. The bartender is an old girlfriend of mine who's real name is Cushing. She kinda looks like a female Peter Cushing too. But it works on her…"

Jade laughed, realizing it had been too long since she even felt the desire to laugh. "Have fun, Gigi. Maybe we'll see each other, if I ever come under the river again."

"Hope you have fun too, Jade."

As she prepared to enter the music club, Jade wondered at the physical similarity but the almost polar opposite personality of the young Goth. _If Tori and Jade had a girl…_ Fingering her once again natural brown hair, she shook her head. _What the hell?!_

Entering Earful, she saw the club was sizable and sloped down slightly towards the stage at the back with a fair-sized dance floor in front. That was surrounded by tables in the middle of the room. Booths lined the right wall. The left wall was a long, vintage bar that wound to the left and ended in a grand piano on a platform. Past the bar, the room opened out with more tables and booths past the bar. There were only a few people there yet and no one collecting the expected cover charge.

Jade perched on a bar stool near the middle. She didn't want to be near the door which would be full of people coming in soon or too near the performance area yet. The short section, where the bar curved to the left, facing the stage, would be packed too.

"Hello there! You're new," the bartender said in a welcoming tone.

Jade looked to see a dark-haired woman wfifty with short, graying hair and a pleasant face with just enough lines and wrinkles to give her character.

"Hi. I didn't see anyone collecting a cover so..."

"I don't do cover charges. I pay the band from whatever I take in. If I don't sell enough hooch, I dig into my own wallet.

"Hi! I'm Bea, the owner of this little hotspot."

"I'm Jade," the former Goth shook the other woman's hand. "Cool place."

"Yeah, my old man's grandfather owned the place when it was a speakeasy. You see the small door in the door? 'Mitch sent me'," she said, then laughed. "Later, when the Volstead Act was rescinded, the old man turned it into a legit nightclub. He left it to his son when Joe came back from the war. My husband took over when his father got sick of the city in the '80s and moved to the Island. Walter ran it as a neighborhood bar until we decided to turn it back into a club. Never got as big as CBGB but we did get the big names – on occasion. Walter left it to me, along with a crap load of money, when he had a fatal stroke back in '98."

"Wow, that's quite a bit of history. But it's cool too." Jade internally nudged herself and added, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yeah, somedays I still expect to see that goof behind the bar. Even though it's been almost twenty years. Anyway, the history? Well, we got written up in the Village Voice about ten years ago with a follow-up three years ago. But I've been coming here since I got my first fake ID in 1982. Damn thing said I was thirty-five but, even though I didn't look a day over twenty…or so…people accepted it."

Jade laughed again. She was starting to be glad she had come out this night. Pulling her ID, she handed it to Bea who examined it carefully. "Looks pretty good." She leaned in, "Not that you don't look twenty-five, but between you and me and God, how old are you? Don't worry, I'm no narc."

"I'll be twenty in a few months."

"With this, close enough. Want a beer? Or something stronger?"

"Um, not yet. Can I just get a Coke or a Wahoo?"

"You're from California! The only people who ask for Wahoo come from the West Coast."

Jade laughed again, it felt like it was getting to be a habit, but a good habit. "Yeah, L.A. Hollywood, actually."

Before the place started to fill up, Jade and Bea talked more. Jade learned a lot about the music scene in New York since the heyday of the Punk Scene – "Like I said, we were no CBGB but we did alright". Jade was fascinated and wanted to know more. But Bea wanted to quid pro quo.

Before long, Jade told her about what had happened in L.A. with her family, but didn't go into detail regarding the shitty life she was mired in. She wasn't ready to talk about that. Not yet.

She stuck to the generic story about not getting any gigs and hoped Bea wouldn't ask more.

Bea nodded, "I know how hard it is to break in around here. I tried and tried for Broadway, Off Broadway, even Off-Off Broadway but nothing. I was ready to strip bare naked for a revival of _Hair_ but even that, clothed, audition came to nothing. But I kept trying and finally did get an audition to try out for the Rockettes. I could high-kick like you wouldn't believe."

"Wow, Bea. You were a Rockette?"

"Almost. Well, officially, yes. Kinda like in baseball, a minor leaguer called up but never getting a real at-bat. See, I never performed with the girls. We were in the final week of rehearsals for the big Christmas show set to premier during the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. On my way to Radio City, some out-of-town hick was too busy sight-seeing and blew a red light. He t-boned the cab I was in. Fractured my hip and dislocated my knee.

"They still pain me when the weather turns."

"God, that sucks!"

"Well, it did but, when I was hobbling along on my crutches, I dropped my purse. This goof I recognized, from some club I hung out at, came up to help me. From that moment, Walter and I were inseparable..." Bea smiled wistfully. "Still. I was this close to national TV…"

Bea stepped away to fill a newly arrived couple's drink order. Jade spun her stool to lean back on the bar and look around the club. From the mix of old and new, especially the old, she could see it had more than a little history, which she already knew. _Bet Bea has some really great stories._ _Wish I had the time to hear them._

Setting her soda on the bar, Jade signaled to Bea that she was stepping away for a moment. The proprietor/hostess/bartender nodded - the stool would still be there when she got back.

The women's room was cleaner than most - especially the cesspool at Skin Deep which was practically a fucking germ warfare factory. Much as she derided Vega for hovering at the Gorilla Club, she didn't dare do much more than squat at work.

This room was actually immaculate. And, while it wasn't large, there were three booths and two sinks – all fairly new. But the room décor was incredible. The walls had old concert flyers and a few larger posters fixed in place under clear lacquer.

"Holy chiz! The Talking Heads, the Smashing Pumpkins, Brian Ferry... They played here?! Bea said they sometimes got the big names…" Jade muttered. "The Ramones… Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Brian Eno with John Cale. The Cure. Jesus and Mary Chain. Liz Phair. Deborah Harry."

While taking care of business, Jade noted other bands on the walls of the booth she was in. Then she glanced up at the ceiling. There were more. "The Runaways… And Oingo Boingo... The B-52s. Joan Jett! Whoa...the Heathens! One of the all-time classic crash-and-burns…"

She stood in the room for several minutes reading the various old ads. On her way out to the bar, Jade noted that the wall just outside the women's and men's room was a large bulletin board and featured contemporary notices about upcoming shows both at the club and others in Soho and the Village, including the Crypt. Jade nodded in appreciation, _Very cool…_

Two women passed her on their way to the women's and broke her out of her reverie. Suddenly feeling like some rube from the sticks, Jade made her way back to the bar. It was much more crowded now but, as tacitly agreed, Bea kept her stool for her. A young man was also behind the bar and Jade saw Bea whisper to him and nod at her. _Hope that's good._

Before long, the band members came out to check the instruments and the sound system. The crowd noise grew in anticipation at this. Drake Bell set his guitar in its stand and took the time to sign several items for people near the stage, including one busty young woman's upper breast.

Before Tori came out, Jade managed to disappear into the crowd by the bar. It was going to be awkward enough to come up to her after the set.

The lights went down to about half the original levels as subdued blue light lit the wall behind the stage. Initially, this left the band in silhouette.

Soon enough, Bea left the bar to her employee and went up to introduce the band. As she reached the stage, a spot shone on her as she stood in front of the shadows moving behind her.

"Okay, folks! Let's get this party started!" The crowd cheered. "Now, the reason you're all here… The Drake Parker Band with Tori Vega!"

More cheers as Drake, accompanied by his drummer slamming his sticks together, counted off, "One! Two! Three!"

The original spot moved to Drake, another found Tori and others illuminated the band.

Jade finished her Coke and got a glass of water while Drake Parker and his band played. After a three songs, Tori, who had been singing rhythm, came forward to sing lead.

Jade found herself entranced. The nightmare of the past year… It was like it never happened. Just from the power of Tori's voice.

Even as she lost herself in the show, Jade thought, _Maybe there's something to this magic power…_


	3. Chapter 3 And The Band Played On

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **And The Band Played On**

The band played on and Tori sang several of the songs or provided back up for Drake Parker when he had lead vocals. Not the type of music she expected, Jade found herself enthralled. Her old frenemy looked incredible on stage. Actually, Tori shone as she performed. This was a woman who should be in the spotlight.

Suddenly, all the effort to get time off, the hassles of travel and everything else suddenly seemed worth all the trouble Jade had to go through. Tori Vega's voice grabbed the stripper and took her to a much better place. A place of hope and happiness.

 _A magic place,_ Jade told herself before mentally slapping herself.

Jade found herself trying to blink away her tears. And tears of joy, not sorrow that she secretly knew so well.

"You like them?"

Jade, realizing Bea had leaned over to speak to her, nodded. "Yeah. They're really good. I like Parker. He didn't go the popstar route and plays real rock. And… Well…see…Vega and I went to school together."

Finally, that set ended. Parker thanked everyone for coming and announced they would be back in a while. Tori went with them backstage.

Bea saw Jade's discomfort. "You hoping to reconnect?"

"I… Actually, I promised a girl I work with that I'd get Vega's autograph. But… You think you could get me…"

Instead of an answer, she got a total non-sequitur, like a certain, old faux-redheaded friend often used. Bea asked, "How are you as a bartender?"

"Huh?"

"Can you draw beers, mix drinks and maintain the till?"

"Yeah, sure. If I don't know a drink, I can fake it."

Bea laughed. "That wouldn't be necessary. I have a couple of drink guides back here. We don't get too many weird, froo-froo drinks but I'm sure you'll do well after a few shifts."

Jade sat silently for a long moment as things sunk in. Then, "Wait! You offering me a job?"

"Yep! Want it?"

"Yeah… Sure!" Jade paused, remembering her obligation to the creeps at the strip joint. "Ummm…"

"What?"

"I can't. I have to work off a debt…"

Almost angrily, Bea gestured and Jade walked behind the bar then followed her through a door hidden in the bar back. In Bea's small office, the older woman declared, "Alright! First, that's bullshit! Endentured servitude hasn't been legal for decades, maybe centuries. Second… Second, that just pissed me off!

"What do you owe the creeps?"

"About twenty-five hundred dollars."

"And…?"

"I owe for rent at El Paradiso…"

"Never heard of it. Still, how much?"

"A coupla hundred, I think."

"If you had four grand, and a place to stay, would you be okay?"

"Uh, well, yeah."

"Done!"

"Huh? What?"

"You have the money you need. Pay off the cretins who think they own you. Grab your stuff from whatever fleabag joint you're in and move in upstairs."

"Upstairs?"

"Listen, Jade West, I was almost where I think you are. I would not wish that on my worst enemy. I'm a damned good judge of character, even if I do say so. And I do! On top of that, I like you so I'm giving you an out."

"But I can't pay you back. At least, not right way. I mean, it'll take…"

"Jade, in case I didn't mention it, I'm not doing all that bad. I'm actually one of the richest people in the Village. And by that I mean, the Village, Soho _and_ Tribeca. Not to mention some interests in Hell's Kitchen."

"You are?"

The surprise on Jade's face was genuine and Bea felt vindicated. Jade was not faking.

She nodded, "Yep. I own this building. There are three apartments upstairs. The second floor is storage, the third is rented out but the upper floor, which happens to be fully furnished, has been recently vacated. He got a job overseas.

"I also own a couple of brownstones in Hell's Kitchen as well as a few other places around town, thanks to my late husband, Walter. I live on the Upper West Side. Like _Seinfeld_ country?

"So?" You interested? Or would you rather go back to that…shithole"

"I'll pay you back," Jade promised as her answer.

"I know."

"You know? How? Why?"

"Well, I'm a great judge of character, if I do say so myself. I like you too. And not that way," Bea added with a laugh. "You remind me of me when I was a kid. So, you want to meet the band? Only employees can meet the entertainment."

Jade laughed. And it was another honest laugh. "Thank you, Bea. I won't let you down."

"I know," the older woman replied simply.

"So, when do I start?"

"Tomorrow, I think. Tonight you're still my guest. And I'd like to give you a chance to meet your old friend without anything to interfere."

"She's not my friend," Jade countered.

Bea smiled knowingly, "Sure. I understand."

* * *

 _After the job offer…_

Bea led a suddenly reluctant Jade behind the stage to the rooms which were set aside for the band to use. Drake Parker was the first person Jade met and he started to hit on her as soon as he saw her. Fortunately, Tori saw this, recognized who Drake's latest target was, and hurried over.

"Jade! Jade West! Oh my God! I'm so happy to see you!" Tori almost hugged Jade but paused then said, "Drake, I think one of the Olsens is here."

"Ooo, I hope it's Elizabeth!"

Tori chuckled as the bandleader headed away then she turned back to Jade, "Oh man, this is so great!"

"Calm yourself, Vega. I'm here for a coworker." Jade immediately, almost automatically reverted to her old, gank mode even as she felt a big wave of warmth flow through her as Tori finally enfolded her in a typical, expected but surprisingly welcome hug.

Jade found her arms wrapping around Tori. A long moment later, she realized it and stiffened, "One… Two…"

With another laugh, Tori released Jade, "Some things never change! I can't believe it but I really missed this."

"This?"

"Yeah, you and me. Acting like this."

"Who's acting?" Jade replied.

Tori had to laugh. Surprisingly, Jade joined in.

"Jade, what happened? I mean, I know what happened to your father and… I…we all found out after you disappeared." Tori looked sad and serious, "Why didn't you ever say anything? Where did you go? I know you and Beck were over. Will you tell me what happened?"

"I… No...yes… Remember when Cat's family left her to go to Idaho?" Tori nodded. "I did the same thing. Then, after graduation, I headed here."

Sadly, Tori sighed, "Oh Jade… Why didn't you say something? You would've been more than welcome at our house."

"With Trina? I don't think so." Jade's shy smile belied the venom in her tone.

"Still… Jade, the storage attic? The rats and… Eeew!"

"Took care of the rats. Remember when I had the cold?"

They talked for well over an hour. They finally took a break when Drake came up, "To-re-mi, time for the second show."

"'Kay, Drake. I'll be ready in a sec."

Jade watched as Drake and his band left the back room. "Did he meet Sikowitz at some point?'

"Huh?"

"To-re-mi? Really?"

"I forgot all about that!" Tori laughed. Then she said, "Yeah, that is weird.

"Anyway, I'm sorry but I have to get ready. You staying for the second show?"

Jade nodded, "Just have to be able to catch the last train…"

She quickly clammed up, fearing she said too much.

Knowing there was a story there, Tori decided to wait for Jade. She had learned not to be too intrusive since graduation. Instead, Tori beamed and said, "Great! See you out there!"

Jade came back into the club and moved to her stool. Bea came from behind the bar and led her to a small table in front of the band, next to the dance area. And she set a Sam Adams draft in front of her new employee.

"Have fun, Jade."

* * *

The second set ended and Tori motioned for Jade to come back with the band. With a glance towards Bea, who nodded with a smile, Jade grabbed her beer – the second or third? - and ducked behind the stage.

The two spent the next hour catching up. Jade skirted any conversation that delved too closely to her current situation. But, before the hour was up, Jade and Tori finally reached that point from their high school years that Tori desired and Jade rejected – they were friends.

Jade glanced at Tori's watch – hers had been sold off long before – and realized she was in danger of missing her train.

"Vega! I gotta go. I have to catch my train."

"Jade, I know. I'd give you a lift if I had a car here in town."

"You drive now?"

"Ha-ha, smart-ass. I've been driving since right after graduation. If you'd stuck arou… Oh God! I'm sorry Jade. I didn't mean…"

Jad took Tori's hand and said, "It's okay, Vega. Don't get your undies in a twist. I made the decision to leave. It was a mistake but it was my decision."

"Okay, Jade. I won't… I'd like to see you again. Will you be here tomorrow? Maybe?"

"I hadn't planned on it." Not before the job offer but she wasn't ready to tell Tori that. "But, maybe, I could. If it means that much to you. I can change my plans and…"

Rather than let Jade go on in her attempt to look cool by helping, Tori said, "Good. I'll see you tomorrow night. Maybe we can talk more?"

"Sure, Vega. I think… I'd like that."

On the way out, Bea stopped her, pushing a fat envelope into her hand. "Take this and get you butt back here tomorrow. I have a car outside to take you wherever you need. I'm not taking a chance on you or this…"

"Oh, Bea…" Jade choked back a sob.

Bea pulled her new friend into a hug, "Jade, I want you to be careful. Getting out of whatever you've been saddled with… Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I will."

"If you want, the driver will bring you back tonight. You already have the building keys."


	4. Chapter 4 Escape From New Jersey

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

Note: There are descriptions of violence and enforced servitude. Please be warned.

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Escape From New Jersey**

The drive back to Jersey was a lot quicker than Jade's trip into the city. Using the Holland Tunnel, the driver had her in New Jersey before the train, which she'd have missed anyway, had even pulled out of the Pennsylvania Station.

Still, it didn't seem quick compared to her descent to the life she had lived. And definitely not how quick it seemed her life had suddenly turned around.

Then the image of Tori Vega appeared. The former Goth felt a warmth inside as well as a feeling of happiness. All the way to the club, Jade had been second-guessing her choice to go there but it turned out to be the best decision she'd made lately – if ever.

 _Who'd've thought I'd be happy to see Tori freaking Vega? Tori's always been Glinda to my Theodora. But still… It'll be good to see her again tomorrow night. Wait, tonight._

Jade sat back and smiled. Then she pulled the envelope from her purse and gave into her curiosity. There wasn't four thousand dollars in the envelope – there was five thousand!

And a note:

A little extra, just in case. If you don't need it, use it to get food and other things you'll need like clothes.

 _I'll pay you back, Bea,_ Jade promised.

Don't worry about paying me back. This will be my good deed of the year.

 _I'm still paying you back._

Following Jade's directions, the driver pulled up to the no-tell motel where she lived. All the way, Jade debated whether to stay in New Jersey or head back to Manhattan. Glancing at the autographed cds, she decided to stay. But she would only go back to that hellhole to pay off the bastard.

"Terry, right?"

"Yes, it's Terry."

"Thank you for the ride. I'll be okay from here."

"I'm not so sure. This is a pretty dicey area. I may just stick around."

"I've lived here for almost a year. I'll be fine."

"Very well, ma'am."

"Ma'am?" Jade asked, her voice knife-edged.

The big blonde laughed, "Just being polite."

A long moment then Jade finally laughed as well while she got out. Once in her room, she began to get the few things she wanted to keep. Mainly a few articles of clothing and her old PearPad. She wrote a short note telling whoever got this room next ownership of anything she left behind.

Then Jade went to the office. The owner was seemingly always there so she was pretty sure she could pay him off, leaving her one less thing in the later morning.

She didn't notice Terry sitting in his car in the parking lot of the burned-out, boarded-up IHOP across the street.

"Hey! Chester the Molester! Wake your sorry ass up!"

The balding man in the stained dago-t slowly sat up. He reeked of cheap booze as he turned bleary, blood-shot eyes to Jade. "Wha'd'ya wan'?"

"I'm settling my bill. Time to check out of this cockroach's garden of paradise."

"Y'can' do tha'. Mickey ain't gonna like it."

"Screw Mickey!" Jade said, slapping the exact amount on the counter. Mickey gave each girls an itemized list so they would know how much they owed him.

She wasn't surprised that the counter shook like a poorly assembled IKEA desk. "Mickey's a fucking douche bag. He takes girls and… He's a fucking bastard! And you're his ass monkey!"

With that, Jade left the ratty office and headed to her room for the last time. On the way, she passed April's room. Jade paused and glanced at the packet of autographed pictures and cds she still carried, _I want to get the hell away from here as soon as I can. Screw work tomorrow but I did promise April these._

Like most of the units. the door to the unit was loose in the frame so she lifted it an inch and slid the signed pictures and cds under.

Back in her room, she sorted through her few possessions. In the end, she grabbed her few normal clothes she had already set aside and her old PearPad. The 'recycled' TV, the hot plate and the other junk could stay in the hovel. Then she wrote a short note to April, explaining why she was gone.

After slipping the note under April's door, she again returned to her room. Jade decided to get some sleep before heading back to Bea's. Spotting another cockroach on the wall, she said, "Hey, Cockie! I'm outta here! You and your filthy chums have the place all to yourself. High five!"

She slapped her hand against the wall. "God I love squishing them!"

As she got ready for bed, the sound of a car racing into the lot and screeching to halt right outside her 'room' came through the door.

 _Some guys just can't wait to get their rocks off,_ Jade thought _. Guess a hummer wasn't enough. Hope something bad happens to that john's car since he's stupid enough to come to this corner of…_

The door crashed open. Mickey filled the frame. "Wha' da FUCK do you think you're DOIN'?! You're just gonna to walk out on me?! ME?! WHO DA FUCK D'YA THINK YA ARE, BITCH?!"

Just as her internal organs shrank into a small, hard ball in the middle of her body in fear, Jade knew she was going to die. Surprising to her was the thought that she'd never be able to tell Tori what happened.

"Got nothin' ta say? You got a smart mouth mosta da time. What happened?" Mickey walked up and ran the back of his fingers down Jade's cheek tenderly, "Did I scare ya? I'm sorry, babe. I didn't want ta scare you.

"I want ta fuckin' KILL YOU!"

Suddenly, Jade fell back as Mickey backhanded her hard. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth and flooded her senses even as she struggled to stand.

Mickey gently helped her to her feet. "Don't worry, Jade. I t'ought about it. Yer worth too much ta kill. Yet. I think I'll…let a coupa my special customers have you. Then, if yer still decent lookin', I know an Ay-rab who loves white girls. Especially American white girls. I don't know details but he's one really nasty muddafuckeh!"

"Mickey, I got your money. With interest."

"Don't matter. You insulted my friend and impugned my good name."

Jade had enough. She was dead but she wasn't going to kowtow to this son of a bitch anymore. "Your _good_ name? What good name? You were named after a goddamned cartoon rat!"

First, his fist buried itself in her stomach, causing Jade to double over in pain and shock. She gasped, trying desperately to suck air into her lungs. Finally, she managed to groan, "Where did a mud wallower like you learn a big word like impugn?"

Enraged because of his secret shame at dropping out of eighth grade when he was fifteen, Mickey jerked her upright and back handed her again. That back hand sent Jade across the bed and into the dividing wall, cracking the particle board. She lay against the wall, the breath knocked out of her again. She wasn't about to get up yet anyway, her brain was doing an imitation of a helicopter rotor in her head.

Mickey didn't care. He walked up, grabbed her hair and jerked Jade to her feet. His fist slammed into her left cheek as she turned her head slightly to the right, trying to avoid the impact. Then he cocked back to punch her face again when another voice intruded.

"Don't!"

Without releasing his hold, Mickey turned, "Don't? Fuckin' 'don't'?! Why da fuck not?!"

"I said so."

Jade's blurry eyes tracked to the familiar voice. In a small voice, she muttered, "terry?"

"AND WHO DA FUCK ARE YOU TA TELL ME NO?!"

"A concerned citizen."

Mickey dropped Jade to the floor, reached into his coat and suddenly found himself slammed into the wall, cracking the particle board again. A minute later, a .38 fell to the floor.

Jade looked up, shaking her still clearing head. She saw Terry slap Mickey once. Twice. Open-handed slaps that echoed in her room.

Terry raised a finger to Mickey's face. "You will not remember Jade after this! You get me? You will not even acknowledge her existence if you happen to pass her on the street. You understand?"

One of Terry's hands was now clenching Mickey's crotch. Each sentence was accompanied by a crushing grip. "I asked you a question Do. You. Understand?"

This was followed by two more slaps from Terry's free hand as he jerked down on what he had a grip on between Mickey's legs. This actually drew the loudest squeal yet out of the Irish mobster.

"Do. You. Understand?" Each word emphasized with a combination of an open-handed slap and a jerk at the man's crotch.

Mickey shook and began to sob. "I…understan'… I won't… I swear! On da Blessed Virgin!"

Terry patted Mickey's cheek, "Good boy. Make sure this wasn't just words to get me to stop. I have my own white slavers I can contact. They _love_ wiseguy wannabes."

Dumping Mickey on the floor where he lay limp as an old ragdoll, Terry gently pulled Jade up. "You okay?"

Jade managed to nod, wiping the blood from her mouth. She managed to inhale enough to gasp out, "I…I'm… Yeah…"

Terry nodded, "Okay, good. Get your stuff. We're out of here."

Nodding, Jade grabbed the backpack and her PearPad. "I'm ready."

They left a now sobbing Mickey on the floor of her former home. Jade was almost to the car, the limo gleaming in the overhead streetlights against the dingy sedan Mickey drove.

"Wait! My friend April! He might…"

"Okay, we'll get her. She live here?"

Jade led the way back to another room. "Yeah but she's probably still at the club. This is her room."

Terry nodded and easily shouldered the door open. Jade grabbed the pics and cds then filled a large cardboard-sided suitcase _– I thought these went out after the war_ \- with April's clothes and few possessions. Terry grabbed that, threw it in the trunk with Jade's stuff and opened the back door for Jade. Moments later, they were on the road.

"Where is this club?"

"Huh?" Jade asked, her head still spinning from the assault.

"Obviously we're getting April. I need to know where to go."

"Yeah, right. Sorry, I'm still…" Shaking her head, Jade directed Terry towards the club. Then she had to know, "Why?"

"Bea asked me to keep an eye on you. I was happy to do so."

"But why?"

"Why? Ask Bea. I… Just know that I would do anything for her. Or the people she cares about."

"Thank you. I don't know what would've happened to me… Floating in the Raritan or the Passaic or even the Arthur Kill… God, that's badly named," Jade laughed even as she shivered.

"It's not that bad. Kill means 'water channel' in Dutch." He pulled up in front of Jade's shame. "We're here. Want me to go in?"

"N-no. I'll do it. April doesn't know you but she's not as naïve as Ca… I'll go."

Jade walked in the front door. She nodded to Marko and walked backstage. April was getting ready for her next set when Jade came in. "Hey! Get dressed! We're out of here!"

"Jade! What happened to you?! Was there an accident?"

"No. Mickey... Doesn't matter. Now come with me. We're getting away from these assholes. I already have your stuff from the motel. But we have to go."

"I can't! I've got to…"

"April, I don't have time. And I can't leave you here so we don't have time. Just get dressed and come with me!"

The girl was about to protest again but something in Jade's demeanor stopped her. Quickly she shed her stripper gear and pulled on her Cuddle Me Cathy shirt and blue jeans.

In a small, worried voice, she said, "Jade, you better be right about this."

"I am. Now come with me."

On the way out, Jade kept looking around for Mickey. Or some sign his goons knew what was going on. Terry was outside but could he take on several mooks at once? Jade didn't want to find out.

She stopped at the bar and handed the bartender the envelope. "Give this to Mickey. He knows how much is in there so I'd make sure he gets every dime. The extra is for April. I'll cover the balance later."

The sweaty, balding man nodded quickly and stashed the small parcel under the bar. Jade knew Mickey would see every bill. Not that he deserved it but she always paid her debts.

Jade led April to the limo and got in the back seat with her, sitting directly behind Terry. As the car pulled out, Jade introduced the two and then handed April her signed goodies. The girl was so excited by that, she forgot her uncertain future.

Terry pulled into the nearly empty parking lot of a 7-11. He came out with a bag of ice, a box of zip-lock storage bags and a couple of chamois cloths. He broke up the nearly solid block of ice by banging it on the sidewalk several times. Grabbing a storage bag and filled it with ice chips. This was wrapped in both chamois, then he handed the bundle to Jade when she opened the window at his gesturing.

"Here, press this against your cheek. It'll help with the swelling."

"I know what to do!"

Terry barked a short laugh and got back in the car. As they pulled out, Jade idly noted the rest of the zip locks and the ice were still on the curb near the convenience store entrance.

"Press it. Against your cheek," Terry repeated, staring at her in the rear view mirror.

"I know what to do!" Jade nearly shouted even as she pressed the ice to her face. The cold was numbing and, after the initial shock, actually soothing.

Jade thought about what had happened in the previous… Had it only been fourteen hours since this all began? How was that enough time to fix her life and her friend's? And to meet Tori Vega again?

Even as she thought about how much things had changed, she sat back to relax, Jade noted that the driver and the dancer seemed to be exchanging looks in the readjusted rearview mirror. With a smile, Jade let sleep claim her as she leaned against the window, the bag of ice held in place. A certain singer was there in her dreams.

Sometime later, Terry stopped in front of Bea's building. Jade woke up as the back door opened and the driver gently shook her awake. "You're home, Jade."

Jade glanced out the window and saw the club was still lit but the place was undoubtedly about to close. It was nearly 2 AM. It was then she realized the bag, which was only about sixty percent ice and the water, was oozing out wear it fell onto her lap.

"We're here already? Wow. Thanks…Terry. For everything." In the night air, Jade felt the cold where her shirt was damp as well as the left leg of her jeans from the melted water. "Couldn't have sprung for the name brand?"

Terry shook his head good-naturedly. He was getting to like this hard-ass, caustic girl.

"Hey, it's what I do." Ignoring the barbed comment, the chauffeur chose to respond to Jade's thanks instead. With a smile, he added. "Anyway, it's kinda fun to mess with low-level wise guys like that."

Jade nodded and turned to April, "C'mon. I have a big couch for you. Tomorrow, I'll see if Bea has an opening for you. Or we'll find you a good job somewhere."

Terry went in first, with their bags. Jade and April followed into the entrance to the upper floor apartments, next to the club's front door. Jade watched as Terry took their things out to the old wooden back porch and opened them to the elements. "Why?"

"It'll drop below freezing by early morning. Cold enough that any hitchhikers from that pit you lived in will die by morning."

"Thanks Terry. I don't think I'd would've thought of that."

"Not a problem," was the reply as he headed back through the apartment to the front door.

"What about your car? Unwanted passengers?"

"Not mine. Anyway, I park it outside. I'll vacuum the trunk tomorrow."

"Bye Terry!" April said as she stood in the living room.

"Bye April," Terry said returning her smile. Downstairs, he got in the car and pulled out. He was already calling Bea to briefly report the events of the past few hours.

With the melting ice still pressed to her face, Jade took the time to explore the apartment. It was pretty good-sized for a flat in Manhattan. _Must be worth a couple, three thousand monthly rent at least,_ she thought.

Once inside the front door, which opened on the right side of the living room, about five feet from the front wall/window of the apartment.

The large living room opened out from there. Between the front window, which overlooked the street, and the front door, a widescreen plasma TV, mounted on in the perfect position that early morning sun shouldn't shine on it for long, if the drapes were left open. Before that was an L-shaped sofa and a large, low coffee table.

The long end, along the window, opened out as a sleeper, the shorter section ended with a built-in recliner. Across from the window was a matching solo recliner. Behind that was a four-chair dining room set.

The short end of the sofa was set so that there was enough room for a pair of tall bookcases against the east wall of the building.

Beyond the living room and the dining room, a short corridor led back into the rest of the apartment. To the left was the master bedroom with a king-size bed and end tables, a dresser across from the bed. The west wall had a good-sized window with a fair view of the western ends of Lower Manhattan, the Hudson and the Jersey shore. In front of that was a desk with a chair, a make-up desk also with a chair and, in the corner, another comfortable chair, not a recliner though. There was also a flat screen TV on the dresser set so it was facing the bed. Between the TV and the door was a large, walk-in closet.

Further along on that side of the corridor was a slightly smaller, similarly furnished bedroom across from the kitchen. It had only a single desk/makeup table. The closet was near the west wall to mesh with the master bedroom's design. There was also a wide-screen TV in the room across from the large bed.

"Hey! April, you don't have to sleep on the couch!" Jade said as she came back in the living room. Her friend was already curled up asleep on the couch. She smiled and used a blanket draped over the back of the sofa to cover the girl.

Across from her bedroom – Jade naturally claimed the master bedroom – was a full bathroom nestled between the dining room and the kitchen. Jade shook her head, _Odd floor plan…_

The bathroom had the standard compliment of appliances but it also had twin sinks, a full bathtub and a separate, walk-in shower with a clear glass door. She upped the imaginary rent by another five hundred.

Just past the kitchen wraparound kitchen counter was the casual dining area. At the far wall was the back door that led out to a small porch and the open stairwell. That led down to a postage-stamp sized yard then the alley beyond a security gate. Like the living room and bedrooms, large windows would let in plenty of light.

Between the second bedroom and the back porch, across from the casual dining area, there was a small closet that contained a washing machine/dryer combo. The single unit had the dryer on top of the washer. _Pretty convenient._

None of the buildings adjacent to theirs was more than three stories so they had a view from every side. Jade upped her estimate of the monthly rent again. _Gonna have to discuss this with Bea before too long…_

She tossed the last of the ice bag in the sink before she went to check on April.

As Jade again returned to the front room, there was soft knock on the door. Startled, she was apprehensive as she pressed her eye to the peephole and saw Bea. Relieved, Jade opened the door.

"I hear there was some excitement in Jersey." Bea closed the door behind her and gently held Jade's chin. "Oh my dear… Are you alright?

Rubbing her still-sore belly gently, Jade nodded. She led Bea back into the kitchen. "Let's talk back here."

"Sure. No need to wake your friend. That's April?"

Surprised Bea remembered, Jade simply nodded.

"Think she'd be a good waitress?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Good. If she's interested, I can use someone at the Crypt."

"You own the Crypt?" Jade asked, surprised. She was amazed she didn't shout that.

Bea nodded. Again, she gently took Jade's chin in her hand, her fingers avoiding the growing discoloration, and turned her head left and right to inspect the damage, especially the left side. "You really okay?"

"Thanks to Terry, yeah," Jade replied.

"You might have a concussion. I can take you to the emergency room."

"Uh-uh! I'm fine. I barely have a headache," Jade lied.

"Fine. Stubborn. Must be the Irish in you…" Bea said with a small smile. Pulling a fifth of scotch from her bag, Bea said, "Here, I figure you can use a jolt. There're glasses in the upper cabinet, right side of the window over the sink. Unless you'd rather sleep."

As she pulled two rock glasses out, Jade shook her head, "No. Fell asleep before Terry even got to the tunnel. Even with the impromptu ice bag. I'm good for a while."

Bea gestured to the kitchen table and they sat as she poured some of the nearly clear liquor into the two rock glasses.

Jade took her glass but didn't take drink yet. "Terry saved my life. Literally. Mickey may not have killed me but what he had planned..." Jade shuddered before continuing, "I really owe Terry. What's the story with him? At the no-tell, I told him to take off but, fortunately, he ignored me."

"You owe Terry nothing." Bea smiled, "Well, maybe a thank you card would be nice…

"Anyway, Terry used to work for me as a bartender. Left to join the Marines. He was in Afghanistan for two tours. When he came back, he took the money he'd saved when he worked for me, as well as his Marine pay, and bought a limo."

Jade laughed, "He lied to me! He did own that car!"

Bea smiled and nodded before going on, "I hire him to ferry musicians from wherever they stay to the clubs. And I recommend him to other club owners.

"He grew his business and took on more drivers. Half his staff are men from his old unit. The rest at all Afghan or Iraqi vets. He's got one of the most successful limo companies in south Manhattan. Soon, probably the whole damned island!

"But he still keeps his fighting edge. Think _Fight Club_ in real life. Better yet, think the old Edward Woodward series _The Equalizer_ or _Person of Interest_ without Colossus."

"Colossus?"

Bea laughed, "The Machine? What Finch built? It was like _The Forbin Project_ … Never mind. Old sci-fi. Basically a supercomputer AI.

"Anyway, I called him when I knew you had to go back. I asked him to stick around and make sure you were safe. I was willing to pay extra but he wouldn't hear of it. Just the standard fee."

"Bea? Why? I mean, I'm grateful and everything but… You just met me. Why do all this?"

"I'm a pretty good judge of character. I've rarely been wrong and I don't think I'm wrong about you. Even if I am, I couldn't let you go back to that life. No one deserves that. As for April? Your word is good enough for me.

"So, to your new life!"

Bea chinked her glass to Jade's and downed the scotch. Jade did likewise, gasping a bit but enjoying the taste.

"This is good, Bea."

"Yeah, twenty-year old, unblended scotch. Not even dyed that lovely dark amber color. I brought a case back from Glasgow a few years ago. Got it directly from the distillery. Can't get it here in the states normally. It's one of the last bottles of the case. So, enjoy it."

She stood up and set her glass down, "I'm going to head out, still got to go over the receipts from tonight. I usually come into the club around noon so bring April down with you about mid-afternoon.

"Oh, and if you guys want breakfast, there's a great diner around the corner to the west. You still have some of the money?"

"Yeah, I hung on to about a hundred. I paid off that son of a bitch even after…"

Pouring another dollop into Jade's glass, Bea smiled, "I knew you would. More than you owed? Well, he can apply that to April's account."

"That's what I told the bartender."

"I'll cover the rest. See you in the afternoon."

Jade followed Bea to the front door. Uncharacteristically, she pulled the older woman into a tight embrace and kissed her cheek. "I don't know why you're doing this but… Thank you. Thank you so much!"

Bea kissed Jade's temple and left the apartment with a wave.

Returning to the kitchen, Jade sat at the table and sipped her scotch. After a half hour, she poured a little more into her glass then placed the bottle on the counter, deciding she'd find a place for it tomorrow. She took the glass and went into her room. After getting ready for bed, she went around and turned out the lights, except for a small lamp next to the couch where her new roomie was sleeping.

For a moment, Jade admired the view from her front window. Her building was the tallest in the immediate neighborhood and was situated on one of the low hills left in Lower Manhattan. Across the street, beyond the roof of the facing building, she could see some of the towers down near Wall Street and, to the left, the bridges across the lower stretch of the East River, lit up like Christmas. In the distance, Jade could make out the lights of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island, through the thickening fog. She whispered, "Wow!"

After admiring the view, Jade quickly checked on April then went into her bedroom. She flipped the TV on and settled back on the bed with her PearPad. As the old, Dingo, young adult show about sorcerers in New York played, she tried to update her journal.

* * *

 **And that's the weirdness that occurred since I decided to see Tori perform. Funny thing, I don't know what's more important – I'm getting my life back but I also reconnected with Tori Vega. Seeing her live and in person, I felt like a hole in me was filled in.**

 **I can't believe I'm even writing this. But, fortunately, no one will ever see this. Especially since I'm going to admit that I really like Tori Vega. I think I have for a long time – even before Beck and I broke up the last time but now…**

 **Anyway, I'll see how things go tomorrow. Well, today. Being the ultimate pessimist, part of me can't help but think Bea is setting me up for a fall. I hope I'm wrong. I really think I am but, after the past few months…**

 **Weird being here anyway. No roaches. Keep looking around for those fukking parisites but non too be found!**

 **Weeird too that I'm not tiired. Gues that nappp in the limmmooo did theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee**

* * *

A scream jerked Jade awake. It took her second to realize where she was. Then she was up and out the door. In the living room, April was sitting up, staring at nothing. "April! What's wrong?"

By this point, Jade was sitting next to her friend, hugging the girl. "What happened?"

"I…just woke up and… I didn't know where I was and I was scared!"

"Okay, let's go to bed and get some more sleep. That okay?"

"Sure, Jade."

The two settled in the big bed, watching an old romcom movie on TCM.

Just before she fell asleep, April said, "Jade? Thanks for getting me out of there."

"You're welcome, April."

Jade fell asleep only a few minutes later.


	5. Chapter 5 Settling In

Disclaimer: Victorious and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Settling In**

Something was ringing. Jade slowly opened her eyes to daylight. Her face was tight as she looked around. The TV was on and she saw what she recognized as an old Bowery Boys comedy playing. Next to her was a tousled, blond head resting on the pillow. April. Her name was April, Jade recalled.

April looked so young…

Slowly, Jade got out of the bed as her mind cleared. She realized the ringing was in her ears but it faded as she became more awake, fortunately. As she got up, she groaned inwardly at a deep ache in her belly and slightly duller pain on the side of her face. Not as bad as last night, before Terry's impromptu icepack and Bea's scotch, but still painful enough. She found the remote and turned off the TV, wishing she'd used some of the ice on her torso.

In the living room, she used the remote on the coffee table to turn on the big-screen TV. Deciding to stick with the B-grade comedy, she found TCM again. Then it was time for coffee. In the kitchen, she found a Keurig coffee maker she hadn't noticed the night before. Finding a JetBrew pod, Jade loaded the Keurig. Finding a mug in the cabinet, she waited for the coffee. She didn't have to wait long but took a lot longer looking for the sugar.

Jade took the coffee out to the living room and settled on the couch, staring aimlessly at Slip and Satch and the rest of the Boys as they had another unbelievable adventure. This time with the boys as exterminators hired to clear an old house of ghosts.

Jade barely even registered the changing scenes on the screen as her mind was still trying to come to grips with her apparent salvation.

 _What the hell happened? Yesterday, my life was shit. Hell, worse than that. Today, I'm in an uninfested, nice place with lots of room. And cable! How did this happen to me? I was rock-bottom. Now I have a real job and an apartment and… It's like magic…_

Jade shook her head, remembering the old rock song and seeing Tori sing. She finished her coffee, started another then went onto the back porch to open her bag of clothes. It was still cold outside so any varmints that hitched a ride should be dead. She dug out what she needed for the day and left the rest for the time being. She took the time to shake each article of clothing several times before she went back in to take a shower. No dead bugs, she sighed internally.

Grabbing the new mug of coffee, Jade went to her room and stripped down then found a terry-cloth robe in the closet. From there, she headed to the bathroom. As she let the water warm up, she saw the large bruise on her across her stomach. Jade found some aspirin and swallowed three tablets with water before climbing into the shower.

"Aaahhh…" she moaned as real hot water cascaded down on her. "This is heaven!"

Forcing herself to shut off the shower while there was still hot water for April, Jade got out into a steamy, warm bathroom. A fluffy towel absorbed the moisture on her and felt wonderful on her skin. I could get used to this…

The fact that the formerly hard-assed bitch was enjoying soft robes and towels wasn't lost on her. _I went through hell. I'm entitled now._

Cleaned, dressed and with a new mug of coffee, Jade woke April. "C'mon kiddo. Time to get up. We have to meet Bea. And I want some breakfast first!"

The shape under the covers moved and peeked out, letting out a small shriek as she looked around in confusion at the bedroom.

"Hey April, it's okay. It's fine. We're in an apartment in Manhattan. We're done with that shithole."

Slowly the sheet lowered again, "Oh yeah… I was afraid… I thought it was all a wonderful dream and…"

"It's a dream alright but real. Just like that was a living nightmare." Jade pulled the covers completely off, "C'mon, we need to get moving. Bathroom, shower, breakfast then you need to meet Bea."

"Bea?"

"Sweet, smart old lady who gave us this chance. I got a real job, paid off that douche bag and got this place. She'll take care of you too."

"Why?" April asked. She was understandably suspicious given the past two years, just under a year more than Jade's hell. Even so, Jade could see she needed to use the bathroom as she was practically dancing in place.

"I'm not sure. She told me she knew how hard it is but I think there's more. Maybe we'll find out, when she's ready. Maybe not. Now get your butt outta bed before you pee on my new sheets and take a shower. I'll get you some of your clothes."

 _My new sheets… Wow…_

When Jade finally heard the shower, she stepped back onto the porch. She opened April's cheap, cardboard suitcase and pulled out a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and underwear. Shaking each piece, she was relieved that, again, no bug corpses flew out.

Setting those aside, Jade took out the rest of April's clothes and draped them over the railing. Some went on two clotheslines strung just under the porch ceiling. Then Jade pulled some of her own clothes out and filled the empty spaces.

"Gotta do laundry soon," she muttered as she avoided the large garbage bag with her dirty clothes. Once she started, all her clothes would go in. April's too.

The shower shut off and she took the selected clothes to the bedroom. She walked back to the kitchen for another mug. _Unlimited coffee that's not recycled mud… Heaven in a mug!_

A few minutes later, April came out. Freshly bathed, no makeup and with her hair tied back into a loose ponytail, she looked like some high school girl, not a stripper from a dive. Jade was glad she decided to pull April out of that cesspool. Not that she ever questioned the decision. She just wished she could do the same for the rest.

 _Well, except for Nancy, maybe. What a gold-plated bitch!_

Out on the street, it was a cool, cloudy late fall morning. Bundled people walked up and down the sidewalks, streams of fog drifting from their mouths.

As promised, a short walk away, they found a pancake house. Jade had expected a place like Monk's on Seinfeld and it was that but much larger. Two rooms of tables and booths as well as a counter that ended with the register near the door. The rooms branched off left and right of the entrance. A hostess seated them in a booth that backed to a window and asked if they'd like something to drink.

Never one to pass up coffee, Jade ordered that. April thought for a minute then asked for a large orange juice.

Curious about Jade's bruised face, but knowing not to pry, she simply stated, "Sally will be your waitress. She'll be along in a minute with your coffee and OJ. Then she can take your order when you're ready."

"So, Jade… How did this all happen?"

"That's right. I never told you what happened. Well, you know I went to see Tori Vega and the Drake Bell Band. Well…"

At that moment, Sally came up. "What can I get you?"

"Give me a second," Jade responded as she grabbed one of the menus behind the condiments. After a quick glance, she said, "I'll take the chopped sirloin and eggs. The eggs over easy, the steak well done."

"Hash browns or grits?"

"Half of each."

"Would you like peppers or onions in the hash browns?"

"Oh yeah! Both grilled. And a toasted English muffin." Jade glanced at April, "Those are the best for sopping up the egg yolk."

Sally smiled in agreement then turned to April, "And you?"

"I'll have the French Connection. With bacon and the eggs scrambled." That consisted of two eggs, choice of bacon or sausage and two, thick slices of French toast.

"Be right up."

With that, Jade started to tell April about the night before. She was just getting to the return to the hotel when Sally came back with the food.

"Can I get you anything else?"

"More coffee?" Jade asked. In time, the staff would place a carafe of coffee on the table or booth when Jade came in, but for now, Sally merely refilled her mug.

"I…" April paused, "Could I have another orange juice?"

"Of course."

As Sally walked back, April said, "So you and Tori?"

"Friends, kiddo. Just friends."

"If you say so," April replied. She saw Jade's eyes when she mentioned Tori Vega.

"Anyway, back in Jersey…"

Jade took it slowly as she told April of the night before. For the most part, April was silent. One time, April did say, in a quiet voice, "That's why you're bruised and…"

As they sat with empty plates, soon picked up by one of the bus boys, April finally asked, "Why did you help me, Jade?"

"You were the first one I met at the club I really felt was a friend. And you reminded me of an old friend back home. You aren't quite as flighty as Cat but still…"

April simply nodded. Then she asked, "Now what?"

"How old are you really?"

"Um… I'm eighteen. My birthday was last week."

Jade sat back. "What?! Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wasn't supposed to say anything since I was underage."

"Those bastards!" Jade hissed, her voice laden with hatred.

Her sudden, understandable dark mood vanished quickly when Sally came up with two other waitresses. She had overheard the birthday announcement and produced a large blueberry muffin with a lit candle set in the middle. One of the other waitresses started to sing _Happy Birthday_ in a really bad voice, completely off-key.

April laughed even as Jade thought, _As much as she tried, this chick isn't nearly as bad as Trina…_ Then Jade was surprised when she realized she was laughing with the rest of them.

After making her wish and blowing out the candle, April insisted and Jade took half the muffin.

After paying at the register, they headed back the way they came. While Earful was still closed, the club's door was unlocked and Jade led April inside.

There was no one in sight so Jade called out, "BEA! YOU HERE?!"

Bea came from her office behind the bar. "Jade, you ever think to hire out as an air raid warning?"

"Ha-fucking ha! This is April. April, this is Bea."

"Nice to meet you April," Bea said as she held out her hand.

April hesitated to take it and said, "I'm… That's not my name. I'm sorry, Jade. I was going to tell you but…"

"That's okay," Jade said. Suddenly, she realized how much different she herself was since graduation. That previously unacknowledged realization was how she was able to accept her friend's lie.

"What is your name?" Bea asked.

"I'm May Carson. They…they made me change my name. Guess they thought it was funny to name me April." May had to stop and swallow several times.

"That's okay, dear. Take your time," Bea said, patting May's shoulder. She led them to a table near the end of the bar and got the full coffee pot for all of them.

"It's okay, kiddo," Jade said as she pulled May into her arms. Even as the abused girl sobbed into Jade's shoulder, the former Goth wondered how long it would take for her to stop thinking of the girl as April.

"Where are you from, May?" Bea asked once May stopped sobbing.

"I'm from Auburn. Auburn, New York. In the Finger Lakes. We're actually at the head of Owasco Lake. Outside of the summer tourism and the prison, there's not a lot for someone like me. Unless I want to marry the linebacker from our high school team.

"School wasn't my thing so I dropped out. I decided to go to the Big City and see what life was really like. God, I was so wrong… Anyway, long story short, I ended up working at the club. At least I was smart enough to pass on the drugs, like Jade did. Jenny and Patti and Jenna are in pretty bad shape. I don't…"

The younger girl started to cry and Jade pulled her into her arms again. Bea placed a steadying hand on the girl's shoulder.

When April, rather May, had recovered, Bea asked, "What do you want to do? Go home to Auburn?"

"No, I don't think so. I'm not sure what I want but I don't think I can go home. Not after…"

"You can work for me here. If you want. Or I have another club you might like."

Showing more street smarts than Jade had seen before, May asked, "And what's your deal? What's the catch?"


	6. Chapter 6 New Beginnings

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

Note: Thanks to all the reviewers as well as the followers and the readers who favorited this story. I really appreciate the feedback. To the guest reviewer (who I can't reply directly to), thanks for the kind words. I hope you like the finale. All of you.

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **New Beginnings**

"What's the catch?"

Bea sighed. "I guess I owe you both an explanation. I can't fault you for being suspicious after what you've been through. So…"

Pausing for a deep breath, Bea started, "I came to New York from Seneca, only about thirty miles or so west of your home town, May. But decades before. Anyway, I wanted to find my sister. I know I told you I was trying to break into show business but that came later. My sister, Marian, came here before me. We, our family, lost touch with her and I decided to come here after I graduated high school. I had to find her."

Bea walked across the room to the flap that closed the bar. Stepping behind the bar, she grabbed a bottle of Johnny Walker Black and poured a shot. Knocking it back, she wordlessly offered the same to the girls. Jade nodded as April...May declined. Bea poured herself another.

"Sorry," she finally said. "This is still hard after all this time.

"I came to New York and searched all over the Village, SoHo, Chinatown, Five Points and Tribeca for her. I remember her talking about how cool the Village was from movies and TV. I had copies of her senior year picture but, like I said, no one knew her. I was on Houston Street, heading to Alphabet City and the East Village. Crossing the Bowery …" Jade felt a weird chill, remembering the Bowery Boys movie earlier even though those movies had no relation to the reality of the Bowery in those days or the time Bea was talking about. "…I ran into this old timer. I took a chance and showed him the picture. He said she looked familiar. Took a half pint of Jack but he finally started to talk.

"Marian had run out of money and was strung out on heroin. She was hooking on Broadway in Bed-Stuy. That's Bedford-Stuyvesant, over in Brooklyn. This was a couple of decades before the gentrification in the 2000s.

"Sorry, I'm stalling."

"It's okay, Bea," Jade said in a quiet voice.

"Okay. Marian was always a robust, lively girl. She was beautiful and one of the most popular girls in school. You know, homecoming and prom queen, even head cheerleader. Now, I mean she was popular but not a skank. Everyone liked her and she believed she'd be the same in New York. We all did.

"When I finally found her, she was like some scarecrow caricature. She was almost skeletal. Picture a death camp survivor and that was what my sister had become... I bought her lunch as I tried to talk her into coming home. She barely ate anything and claimed she was on the verge of her big break. I gave her my hotel number and made her promise to call me. She left after making me promise I wouldn't follow her. Stupidly, I agreed. I never saw her alive again."

"Oh Bea…" Jade groaned.

May muttered, "I'm so sorry…"

Bea poured another shot and again offered. Jade took it, even though she really didn't want a second shot at the moment. With teary eyes, April agreed. _May, dammit!_ Jade had to remind herself as Bea poured May's shot.

"Sorry, I never drink this early but…" Bea shook her head, blinking rapidly. "I gave Marian a couple of days but I didn't hear anything. I was about to go back to Brooklyn when I got a call. It was a detective from the Homicide division. I met her at the Office of the Medical Examiner on First Avenue and East Thirtieth. It's just east-northeast of here on the other side of Manhattan.

"Sorry, I'm stalling again. I met this cop, Detective Baez. She told me she got my number from a note in Marian's pocket. I went into this small room, the lights went down and a curtain opened to show me my sister lying on a table…" Bea tried to stifle her sobs, unsuccessfully.

"My big sister. I loved…I love her. But she got caught up in this whole insane…" Bea downed the last of the scotch in her glass.

After a couple of minutes, Bea went on, "After I arranged to have Marian sent home, I stupidly stuck around. I went home for the funeral of course but then I was back here and… Well, the rest you know, Jade." Jade nodded. "I guess, since my sister…died, I've tried to help young people when I can. You two were the most endangered I've heard of in quite a while. But even before I got the lowdown from Terry, I had a feeling about you Jade. I knew you were far better than whatever mess you'd been in. And April, I'm sorry, May, I think you are too."

The three awkwardly hugged over the table for several moments before Bea forced a smile and asked, "So, May, you any good at waiting tables?"

* * *

Jade and May went upstairs a short while later. Jade started a load of laundry, mixing their 'dainties' then did the colors in another load while setting aside the rest for a regular load. Meanwhile, May explored her new home. "I love this place!

"JADE!"

Rushing into the girl's room, Jade looked around in a panic, "What?!"

"I love this pace. Screw Auburn!"

"CAT!?" At May's blank look, Jade realized what she said. "Sorry, it's just you reminded me of my old friend."

"It's okay, Jade. Hey, is your real name Jade?"

Jade was about to give her a smart ass comment then remembered her own alias. "Yeah, Dad had a thing for a character on the old _Jonny Quest_ cartoon when he was a kid."

"Oh, Race Bannon's sort-of girlfriend!"

"Yeah, sort of cool. For a cartoon chick, she was pretty damned hot!"

"So are you, Jade. And really cool. And a great friend." She pulled Jade into a hug, saying "Thank you so much. For getting me out of there. For letting me live here and for having me meet Bea. Now I have a good job and I owe it all to you!"

Jade amazed herself by accepting the hug. She amazed herself even more when she realized she liked it.

* * *

 **April – May and I had a nice talk while the first load was running. We avoided talking about the place we met and what happened there. I knew it wouldn't be that easy. Undoubtedly harder for May since she was there longer and was younger when she started. Got me to thinking about maybe getting those douchebags busted for abuse of underage girls. I may talk to Bea about that. She's the sharpest person I've ever met. Or maybe it's just nice to talk to someone who's not paying for the company.**

 **Unfortunately, while I was working, I was too embarrassed, and often too tired, to try to build any kind of friendship with anyone outside of the club. Not that were a lot of people to choose from around there. But April, who I'm forcing myself to remember, is May, was the only one I really liked there. We got to know each other when we'd walk to and from the roach motel together if our shifts matched.**

 **One other thing I didn't mention to either of them, I find myself looking over my shoulder a lot. On the way to the diner and back this morning. Even when we left the club to walk the few feet to the apartment's entrance. I don't think those ass clowns will search for me but what if they're in the area and see me? But, this is the Irish mob from Jersey, not the Russians in Brighton Beach – those whack jobs never forget. Or forgive.**

 **Last load is in the washer and the second load is in the dryer. I'm going to follow April's… Damn! May's plan and take a short nap. Last night was pretty tiring.**

 **I can practically hear Tori – Vega say, "No shit, Catherine Obvious!"**

* * *

As Jade and May entered the bar, Bea came up to Jade and said, "I was serious this afternoon. You don't have to work just yet. Maybe next week? I think you and May can use some down time to start getting over that…place."

"No, I can do it."

With a smile, Bea gently elbowed her and, in a stereotypical New York accent, countered with, "I don' think so. Yer mug'll scare de payin' customers…"

Seeing Bea's eyes dart to the back room several times, Jade finally nodded, "Thanks Bea. You are the best!"

"Don't you forget it!" Bea laughed. "Go see your friend. After tonight, they're heading on to Providence or Boston or some other damned historical site."

* * *

The band was relaxing before the early show but, after the initial Cat-like hug, Tori was distant. Jade remembered her being that way before performances in school. Jade settled for sitting with Tori as the singer psyched herself to perform.

As the band started to leave the room for their performance, Tori stopped and grabbed Jade, pulling her to her feet. "What the hell happened to you?"

Jade knew she meant the bruise on her cheek. Shaking her head, she told Tori, "Had an accident last night. It's no big deal. I'm fine. Go out there and kill 'em!"

This time, Jade watched from the wing of the stage. The band was great and the music was flawless, except for a moment when the upper E-string snapped on Drake's guitar. A professional, he gestured to the band and stepped off to change guitars. Ten seconds tops and, likely few noticed. But Jade had.

Not nearly as much as she noticed Tori. The girl was awesome. Her voice had never been better – maybe since she wasn't doing pop crap anymore – and she was cool, relaxed and subtly sexy on stage. _I wonder if she knows how sexy she is? Hold the phone! Sexy? Vega?_

 _Yeah, Tori's sexy alright._

From her vantage point, Jade saw how the footlights and the ceiling spots lit her friend up. Enough to showcase her stunning beauty. And to highlight her brown, flowing locks. Not to mention her cute cheekbones.

 _Wait! Stunning beauty? Cute? What the hell?_

Tori started to sing again and Jade's train of thought quickly derailed.

* * *

The first set ended and Jade was back in the room with the band. A couple of them were sharing a pinch-hitter, the smell of weed drifting to Jade's nostrils. The other two were raiding the buffet while Drake replaced his broken string. The backup singers were also helping themselves to the food. Tori was relaxing and smiled at Jade.

"Hey, you!"

"Hey, Vega. Good show." In an uncharacteristic gesture, Jade looked around the room, "All of you did a great job!"

They acknowledged Jade's compliment, knowing she was special to the second lead singer. Who said, "Jade, that was…nice."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it…" Jade snarled, but with a smile.

She walked to the door and led in a young woman, "Tori Vega, this is Apr…May Carson. She's a huge fan."

"OH MY GOD! You're really her! Tori Vega!"

Tori smiled indulgently, "Yes, I am. But it's okay. You don't have to be nervous. I'm just like you…"

Jade internally grimaced, _You have no idea how wrong you are…_

May and Tori sat and talked, the girl from upstate New York slowly becoming used to talking to an up-and-coming celebrity. By the time Tori introduced her to Drake and the band, she was visibly calmer. Calmly, May even got them all to sign one of the extra 18x12 old school posters Bea had printed and spread around the neighborhood.

Time passed with Tori and Jade getting a significant amount of personal time, talking about everything other than Jade's recent past – "I'll tell you about it sometime, Vega." – but soon enough, like the night before, it was time for the second set. As Tori rose to follow the band, she pulled Jade up. Jade stared at their joined grip, wondering, _When did we start holding hands?_ Tori finally released her grip with a smile and Jade was struck by the thought, _Why does my hand feel so empty now?_

Instead, she said, "Go make some magic, Tori."

The second show was another smash. The audience was on its feet for an encore and another and even a third encore.

Jade was waiting in the ready room backstage when the band finished their third encore. Drake whooped as he came in, "That crowd was on _Fi-yere_!"

Tori was pulled into a hug. Drake wasn't nearly as suffocating as an old friend back home. "TORI! You were _aweSOME_!"

Jade stood back, biding her time. In a few moments, Drake turned to the other members of his band. Jade stepped up to Tori, "You _were_ awesome!"

Smiling sweetly, Tori asked, "Do I get a hug? A little Tori squeeze?"

Snidely, Jade said, "Wouldn't it be a Jade squeeze?"

"Whatever. Give me a hug!"

"Wow, Demanding Bitch Vega… I think I like it," Jade replied, even as she moved into the open arms.

After far longer than Jade used to wait to force a hug to break, they parted and sat on one of the old sofas in the back room. Drake actually got them drinks before he went off to see about spending some quality time with one of the new backup singers.

"He's such a dog," Tori laughed.

"Did he ever…"

Tori didn't let her finish when she said, "Oh hell no! Well, he tried… I actually think he likes Trina."

"Trina?! Trina Vega? You have got to be kidding me!?"

"During the first week I sang with them. All the shows were in LA or San Diego. Trina came to see every show and they seemed to hit it off. Long story and one I'm bored with. Let's just continue to catch up. I have to be honest, I really missed you Jade."

"I didn't know it until I saw you but I really missed you too, Ve…Tori."

They fell into an easy, simple conversation like the night before and between shows. Jade asking about old friends back home and Tori asking about what Jade had been up to. Not surprising, Jade deflected those questions, promising herself she'd tell Tori the truth.

"Okay, gang, time to pack up for Hartford!" Drake called out. "Tori? Hang with your friend, we got this."

Tori smiled gratefully, "Thanks Drake."

"But you get to unload in Hartford!"

Tori stuck out her tongue at Drake even as she moved a little closer to Jade. She gazed at Jade and said, "I've wanted to do this for a quite a while. Until last night, I thought I'd never get the chance…"

Both hands gently held Jade's face, fingers caressing her temples and ears. Jade's eyes closed and she felt warm breath on her injured cheek.

"Should I kiss your injury? Always worked for me." Without waiting for Jade to say anything, Tori's mouth gently settled on her bruised cheek and rubbed those soft lips very gently over the skin. Then she did the same on the other cheek.

Jade didn't make a noise but damn her if it didn't feel good.

Tori moved slightly. Soft lips pressed to Jade's and the former Goth felt a warm shudder flow through her body. The kiss held for several seconds then those soft, warm lips pulled back. The soft hands retreated as well.

Slowly, Jade opened her eyes and looked at Tori, seeing worry in that beautiful face. She didn't like that expression or the feeling Tori was experiencing. But all she could ask was, "How… How long have you wanted to do that?"

Tori blushed lightly under her natural tan, "Um…since I had to help you get your boobs into that stupid hamburger."

Jade found herself laughing. Tori smiled shyly then joined in.

Finally, the laughter died down to giggles then a comfortable silence. Tori broke the silence, "I've never heard you giggle. It's cute."

"NO! I don't giggle and I don't do cute!" Jade argued but then laughed. She wouldn't admit it, not yet anyway, but she remembered enjoying Tori's hands on her tits. Even as the Latina tried to get Jade in the costume, she had the gentlest touch.

Jade leaned in and kissed Tori, her lips moving against the Latina's. When she felt Tori's lips part, Jade slipped her tongue in. Once it touched Tori's, Jade felt a real jolt – like the proverbial electric shock. _Just like those stupid romance novels Cat loved._

The Kiss – Jade would always think of it as The Kiss – deepened. The two simultaneously pulled the other closer.

They enjoyed this new closeness for several minutes, only occasionally breaking for air before resuming. The only thing that stopped them was a voice from behind them.

"Ahem! Um… Tori? Tori. Everything is packed up. We're ready to hit the road," came the voice.

"Damn! They're done already…" Tori moaned.

Jade held her cheek softly and smiled sadly, "Where to?"

"Hartford then down to New Haven then Providence and Boston. Bangor and Augusta then Canada."

"Why are you leaving now? You'll get to Hartford at like 2 AM or so."

"I dunno. Drake likes to drive at night. Less traffic."

"Will I see you again?"

"Who are you and what have you done with Jade West?" Tori laughed as she rose and pulled Jade to her feet again.

"I've been in a dark place. A couple of weeks ago, I heard you on the radio and… You know Triumph?"

"The motorcycle?"

"No, the band. From the '70s." Tori shook her head. "They weren't huge but they still get airtime on classic rock stations. Anyway, they had a hit _Magic Power_ about a song on the radio helping a girl. Well, that girl was me and the song was from…" Jade pointedly waited for Tori to connect the dots.

"Me?"

"Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!" Jade shouted like a sideshow barker. Then, in a gentler tone, said, "Yeah, you goof. You saved me. You gave me a map out of hell. You and Bea saved me. I…uh… I guess I…"

"It's okay Jade. I just wish I knew you needed help sooner."

"That's the Tori I know, the klutzy helper…" Jade quipped.

"Hey! I'm not a klutz!" Tori tripped then, fake as hell as far as Jade could tell, and fell into Jade's arms. "Now _you_ saved me."

Another long, loving kiss with Jade whispering into Tori's mouth, "Bullshit."

Finally, reluctantly breaking the kiss, Tori stood up straight. "I… I have to go. I don't want to but…"

Jade held her hand, "Tori, you know where you can find me now. If you want."

"I want to. Um…do you?"

"You have to ask?" Jade asked as she pulled Tori in one last time. After that kiss, she asked, "That answer your question?"

Tori floated through the rest of her tour.

* * *

 **I have no idea what happened but it was the greatest thing I could imagine! I have a real job. With the greatest boss ever! And a great place to live. I mean really nice. Furniture, drapes, dishes and not a single roach to be found.**

 **And best of all, I re-met Tori Vega.**

 **I met her to fulfill my promise to April, I mean May. I got April her autographs on two pictures and her cds – including the newest with Drake Parker. I even got Parker's signature, after I brushed off his attempts to get me in bed.**

 **In fact, I found myself enthralled by Tori. I never expected that.**

 **I mean, I was always fascinated by her. Even when I thought I was repulsed, I found my focus was usually on her. Even if I wouldn't admit it at the time.**

 **I don't know what Tori and I have right now but it is so much better than anything in my life that I don't care. I'm…**

 **I'm just happy.**

 **And now I have to confess why I'm so happy…**

 **I don't know what happened but I kissed Vega! I fucking kissed Tori Vega!**

 **And she kissed me back!**

 **Well, she kissed me then I kissed her and… What the hell! We kissed. Deeply. Not like sisters or friends…**

 **Know what? I loved it! That first kiss was the best kiss of my life. And the other kisses were just as intense! Just as great!**

 **Beck was a great kisser, don't get me wrong. But Tori Vega… It just felt so…right. So perfect. Like a fairy tale…ugh!**

 **And I think Tori felt that too. Without the 'ugh'. I can hardly wait until she comes back after her tour. We have some things to discuss.**

 **I have her contact information so when I finally get a new phone and internet access on this old PearPad, we can email or text or even chat. Maybe video chat,,,**

 **Chat! I never chatted. I hated it. But with little Sweet Sally Peaches, I think I'm okay.**

 _ **Magic Power**_ **? I'm really starting to believe.**

* * *

 **Post-script Note:** Again thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed and read this story. There are threads dangling after the end of this tale but those will be dealt with in a sequel. Don't know when that'll be posted as it's still just in my head. Also, there's a lot going on right now in my life so I don't have as much time to write as I had. Then again…I'll probably need a distraction or twelve…


End file.
